Excelsior Motor Company
Corporate brand
UnclaimedA historic British manufacturer of bicycles, motorcycles and Bayliss-Thomas cars, known especially for racing motorcycles and the wartime Welbike.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
Excelsior Motor Company was a British vehicle manufacturer associated with Coventry and Birmingham. Its origins lay in Bayliss, Thomas and Co, a bicycle business established in 1874 that produced penny-farthing bicycles and later sold bicycles under the Excelsior and Eureka names. The company began producing its own motor-bicycle in 1896, making it one of the earliest British manufacturers to enter powered two-wheelers. Its early motorcycles used engines supplied by outside manufacturers, including Minerva, De Dion, MMC and other European and British makers, before the company developed a broad range of machines using engines from JAP, Blackburne, Villiers and other suppliers. The business changed its name to Excelsior Motor Co. in 1910. Because an American manufacturer used the same name, the British company often identified itself as British Excelsior. Its early premises included Lower Ford Street and Stoney Stanton Road in Coventry. A proposed supply arrangement with the Russian Imperial government before the Russian Revolution left the company with surplus motorcycle inventory, creating a significant commercial difficulty. After the First World War, Reginald Walker and his son Eric took control. Their associated business, R Walker & Sons of Tyseley, had previously made ships' lamps and had also developed motorcycles sold under the Monarch name through the London department store Gamages. The company was re-registered as Excelsior Motor Company Ltd, moved production to Birmingham, and the former Coventry factory was sold to Francis-Barnett. From 1921, the business was based at Kings Road, Tyseley, Birmingham, with later documentation identifying Redfern Road, Tyseley, as the head-office and works address. Interwar Excelsior produced motorcycles ranging approximately from 98 cc to 1,000 cc. Its engines came chiefly from JAP, Blackburne and Villiers, with an 850 cc Condor-powered machine also associated with the range. Competition became increasingly important to the company. Excelsior won the Lightweight TT in 1929 with its B14, which became one of the marque's best-known motorcycles. In the early 1930s it commissioned Blackburne to develop a sophisticated four-valve racing engine. The resulting Mechanical Marvel won the 1933 Isle of Man TT on its first appearance, although its complexity made it unsuitable as a straightforward production racer. The Manxman succeeded the Mechanical Marvel as Excelsior's principal competition-oriented model. It achieved strong Isle of Man TT results, finishing second in 1936, 1937 and 1938 and third in 1939, while an Excelsior machine won the 1936 European Grand Prix at Chemnitz. The company did not officially enter the 1939 TT, although privately organized riders used earlier factory machines and a prototype 500 cc production racer. During the Second World War, Excelsior's most distinctive contribution was the 98 cc Welbike. Designed to be folded into a container and delivered by parachute, it was intended to provide paratroops with rapid local mobility after landing. The Welbike later influenced the post-war Brockhouse Corgi. After the war, however, the company faced difficult market conditions and shifted away from expensive sporting motorcycles toward simpler, lower-cost two-stroke products. Post-war models included the Villiers-powered 250 cc Viking and the 1949 Talisman Twin, which used Excelsior's own smooth two-stroke, 180-degree-crank engine. A later 328 cc, twin-carburettor S8 sports model was less commercially successful. Variants of the Talisman engine subsequently found use in Berkeley microcars, including 328 cc twin-cylinder and 492 cc triple-cylinder applications. In 1956 Excelsior also introduced a Villiers-based twin-cylinder engine used by several small manufacturers. Excelsior entered car production in 1920, using the Bayliss-Thomas name because a Belgian automobile maker already used the Excelsior name. An experimental three-wheeled car had been built in 1919, but it did not proceed to series production. The four-wheeled Bayliss-Thomas range produced approximately 1,000 vehicles. Cars continued to appear in catalogues until 1931, although available historical accounts indicate that production probably ended by 1929. The final Excelsior motorcycle was manufactured in 1964, and the company closed in 1965. Britax, a car-accessory company, later acquired the name and produced limited numbers of Britax-Excelsior machines in the late 1970s. The original company is therefore remembered as a pioneering British motorcycle manufacturer whose identity also encompassed bicycles, automobiles, military equipment and specialist engines.
History
Excelsior's history began in Coventry's bicycle trade. Bayliss, Thomas and Co was established in 1874 and initially made penny-farthing bicycles. The business later marketed bicycles as Excelsior and Eureka before moving into motorized transport. In 1896 it began producing its own motor-bicycle, placing it among the earliest British motorcycle manufacturers. Early machines depended on engines from suppliers such as Minerva, De Dion and MMC, but the company gradually assembled a varied product range using power units from major manufacturers. The business adopted the Excelsior Motor Co. name in 1910. A supply arrangement involving the Russian Imperial government was disrupted by the Russian Revolution, leaving Excelsior with unwanted motorcycle stock. Following the First World War, Reginald Walker and Eric Walker took control through the Tyseley-based R Walker & Sons. The company was re-registered as Excelsior Motor Company Ltd, transferred production from Coventry to Birmingham, and used the British Excelsior description to distinguish itself from the American Excelsior manufacturer. During the 1920s and 1930s, Excelsior made motorcycles with capacities from approximately 98 cc to 1,000 cc, generally using JAP, Blackburne or Villiers engines. The company placed substantial emphasis on racing. Its B14 won the 1929 Lightweight TT. Excelsior then commissioned Blackburne to design a four-valve racing engine, producing the Mechanical Marvel, which won the 1933 TT but proved too complicated for use as a normal production racer. The Manxman took over as the principal competition model and achieved repeated TT podium finishes. Excelsior machines also won the 1936 European Grand Prix at Chemnitz. Excelsior's wartime work centered on the Welbike, a 98 cc folding motorcycle intended for delivery by parachute to airborne troops. Its compact design became an important part of the company's historical identity and influenced the later Brockhouse Corgi. Post-war commercial conditions were less favorable. The company concentrated on affordable two-stroke motorcycles, including the 250 cc Viking with a Villiers engine and the 1949 Talisman Twin with an Excelsior-designed 180-degree-crank engine. The sporting S8 version did not sell strongly, although related engines were used in Berkeley microcars. A Villiers twin-cylinder engine was added to the range in 1956. The company also built automobiles. A 1919 three-wheeled prototype did not enter production, but four-wheeled cars were introduced in 1920 under the Bayliss-Thomas name. The use of this name avoided confusion with a Belgian manufacturer already called Excelsior. Approximately 1,000 cars were made, and the models remained in catalogues until 1931 even though production probably stopped earlier. Motorcycle production ended in 1964 and the company closed in 1965. Britax subsequently acquired the name and produced limited quantities of Britax-Excelsior machines in the late 1970s. The original Excelsior enterprise is chiefly significant for its early role in British motorcycling, its competition engineering, its wartime airborne motorcycle and its brief involvement in automobile production.
- 1965
Company closes
[1]The original Excelsior business ceased operations.
- 1964
Final Excelsior motorcycle
[1]Excelsior manufactured its last motorcycle.
- 1949
Talisman Twin introduced
[1]The company launched the Talisman Twin with its own 180-degree-crank two-stroke engine.
- 1942
Welbike developed for airborne forces
[1]Excelsior produced the compact parachute-delivered Welbike for military use.
- 1936
European Grand Prix victory
[1]An Excelsior machine won the European Grand Prix at Chemnitz in Germany.
- 1933
Mechanical Marvel wins the TT
[1]The four-valve Mechanical Marvel won the Isle of Man TT at its first appearance.
- 1929
B14 wins the Lightweight TT
[1]Excelsior secured its first major racing victory at the Isle of Man Lightweight TT.
- 1921
Production moves to Birmingham
[1]Following the Walker family's takeover, production moved from Coventry to Tyseley in Birmingham.
- 1920
Bayliss-Thomas car range introduced
[1]Excelsior entered four-wheeled car production under the Bayliss-Thomas name.
- 1910
Company renamed Excelsior Motor Co.
[1]The business changed its corporate name after previously trading under Bayliss, Thomas and Co.
Products and positioning
A pioneering British engineering marque that combined practical motorcycles with competition development, military utility vehicles and limited automobile production.
Motorcycle · 1929
B14
The B14 was a lightweight Excelsior motorcycle that became the company's most popular model in the interwar period. Its principal historical distinction was winning the 1929 Isle of Man Lightweight TT, an achievement that established Excelsior as a serious competition manufacturer.
Racing motorcycle · 1933
Mechanical Marvel
The Mechanical Marvel was a sophisticated racing motorcycle built around a Blackburne-designed four-valve engine. It won the 1933 Isle of Man TT on its debut and continued to perform successfully in continental competition, but its engineering complexity prevented it from becoming a practical production racer.
Racing and production motorcycle · 1935
Manxman
The Manxman followed the Mechanical Marvel as Excelsior's principal competition motorcycle. It competed in multiple Isle of Man TT events, taking second-place finishes in 1936, 1937 and 1938 and a third-place result in 1939. Its simpler two-valve configuration was easier to prepare than the earlier four-valve design.
Military motorcycle
Welbike
A compact 98 cc folding motorcycle developed during the Second World War for airborne troops. It was designed to fit inside a parachute-delivered container and provide mobility after deployment. Its concept influenced the post-war Brockhouse Corgi.
Motorcycle
Viking
The 250 cc Viking was a post-war practical motorcycle powered by a Villiers engine. It represented Excelsior's shift toward relatively affordable two-stroke machines during the difficult market conditions following the Second World War.
Motorcycle · 1949
Talisman Twin
Introduced in 1949, the Talisman Twin used an Excelsior two-stroke engine with a 180-degree crank. It was positioned as a smooth post-war twin-cylinder motorcycle. Engine derivatives later appeared in Berkeley microcars, including twin- and triple-cylinder configurations.
Sports motorcycle
S8
The S8 was a later sports-oriented development related to the Talisman engine family. It used a 328 cc engine with twin carburettors, but the model did not achieve strong sales.
Automobile · 1920
Bayliss-Thomas cars
Excelsior's four-wheeled automobiles were sold under the Bayliss-Thomas name from 1920. The name avoided confusion with a Belgian automobile manufacturer using Excelsior. Approximately 1,000 cars were produced, with catalogue listings continuing into the early 1930s.
Brand decisions
1945
Prioritize affordable two-stroke motorcycles after the warStrategyBackground
Post-war economic conditions weakened demand for luxury and competition-oriented motorcycles.
Action taken
Excelsior emphasized lower-cost two-stroke products, including the Viking and later Talisman-related models.
Aftermath
The company remained active for almost two decades after the war, but motorcycle production ultimately ended in 1964 and the business closed in 1965.
1920
Enter automobile manufacturing under Bayliss-ThomasStrategyBackground
The company wanted to enter four-wheeled vehicle production, but a Belgian car maker already used the Excelsior name.
Action taken
Excelsior marketed its cars under the Bayliss-Thomas name rather than using Excelsior for the automobile range.
Aftermath
The company produced approximately 1,000 cars, although automobile production appears to have ended before catalogue listings disappeared in 1931.
1910
Adopt the Excelsior Motor Co. identityStrategyBackground
The original bicycle business had sold products under the Excelsior and Eureka names and was expanding into powered vehicles.
Action taken
The company changed its name to Excelsior Motor Co.; it later used British Excelsior to distinguish itself from the American manufacturer with the same name.
Aftermath
The Excelsior identity became the principal marque for the company's motorcycles and related engineering products.
Sources1 sources
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